Johannesburg: To build a more economically stable, sustainable, and productive sector, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) hosted a successful Theatre and Dance Policy Consultative Conference on 02 and 03 September 2022 at the Market Theatre Foundation, Newtown in Johannesburg.
The two-day Conference was to discuss the National Theatre and Dance Policy, a Second Draft written with reference to the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture (DSAC) White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage. Earlier this year, the Draft Policy Document was made public with a call for Public Submissions.
The Submissions received have been reviewed and aligned with the Draft Policy. Theatre and Dance Policy Consultative Conference provided a significant platform for industry practitioners to review and make deliberations on the Draft Policy and Recommendations in areas such as:
• Education and training,
• Company and career paths,
• Research, information, and documentation,
• Infrastructure and funding,
• Networking and representation,
• Market development,
• Awards and recognition,
• Rights, remuneration and social benefits,
During the Conference, delegates from various performing arts institutions, theatre and dance organisations, and independent practitioners took to commissions to debate, enrich and endorse recommendations proposed through various consultations and inputs on the Draft Policy in relation to these key areas.
The discussions also included the discussion alignment of preceding drafts and inputs of the Theatre and Dance Policy with the National Policy Development Framework of 2020.
Among other key recommendations, the Conference recommended that a district model be implemented during establishing provincial policy structures. This is to ensure that the policy implementation strategy is carefully evaluated and monitored and to identify areas of continuous policy review and improvement for the benefit of all theatre and dance practitioners across the length and breadth of the country.
The new recommendations emanated from the Policy Conference will be consolidated into one final policy document to be submitted to the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture for further deliberation processes.
The Theatre and Dance Policy Consultative Conference was an important contribution to the policy process and the implementation of policy recommendations.
){kind=link}